CDC: Listeria outbreak linked to Springfield likely over

A listeria outbreak linked to salads produced at Dole’s Springfield facility appears to be over after affecting the health of 19 people in the U.S. and 14 people in Canada, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in an update Thursday.

Among the 19 in the U.S., one man in Michigan died as a result of listeriosis.

Three people died in Canada, although it is has not been determined if listeria contributed to the cause of those deaths. The Canadian Public Health Agency said their investigation in that country is coming to a close, and the outbreak investigation coordinating committee has been deactivated.

The CDC noted the outbreak appears to be over, but it is not yet clear how the products may have initially become contaminated.

Dole officials voluntarily recalled all Dole brand and private-label packaged salads produced at the site in January, and it also temporarily closed the facility during the investigation.

It is not yet clear whether the facility has reopened. Company officials have repeatedly declined comment, instead referring to the company website for all updates in the case.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is also investigating the outbreak, but no new details were available Thursday. Lab tests performed by the Ohio Department of Health linked the outbreak to packaged salads produced in Springfield. No other Dole facilities have been affected by the outbreak, according to the CDC.

Listeria is a food-borne bacteria typically found in raw vegetables and meats, as well as some soft cheeses. About 1,600 illnesses and 260 deaths due to listeriosis occur annually in the U.S., according to information from the CDC.

Although the outbreak appears to be at its end, listeria remains, “an important cause of serious, life-threatening human illness,” in the U.S., according to the CDC.

The recalled products included several brands and varieties of salad mixes distributed throughout the Eastern U.S. and Eastern Canada. The products were identified by the letter, “A” at the beginning of the manufacturing code on the packages.

Brands impacted include Dole, Fresh Selections, Simple Truth, Marketside, The Little Salad Bar and President’s Choice Organics. Any recalled salad mixes still in consumers’ homes would be part their expiration dates, according to the CDC.

Those most at risk during the outbreak included pregnant women and their newborns, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems. Among the symptoms, listeriosis can lead to fever and muscle aches, sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms, according to the CDC. In pregnant women, the infection can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or a life-threatening infection of the newborn.

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